Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe makes European debut

The new Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé will make its European debut at the Geneva motor show this week. Production of the new model will begin at the company’s UK manufacturing plant at Goodwood in the summer. The two-door, four-seat convertible is a less formal interpretation of classic Rolls-Royce design than its four-door stable mate, the Phantom. Using the lightweight rigidity of an all-aluminium spaceframe, it marries modern technology to a sleek, streamlined convertible body.

Hand-built using the finest quality materials to the exacting standards of Rolls-Royce, the new Phantom Drophead Coupé is exciting customers around the world.

Speaking ahead of the Geneva show, Graeme Grieve, Sales and Marketing Director, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said, “The reaction to the Drophead Coupé has been phenomenal. This year’s production has already been allocated and there are currently only a few build slots left in 2008. We are delighted that more than half of the orders are from customers who have never owned a Rolls-Royce before, so the new model is significantly expanding the appeal of our products.”

Some of the special design features of the Phantom Drophead Coupé are:

Customers can specify a brushed steel bonnet and rear teak deck. The bonnet is machine brushed before being hand finished to ensure a uniform grain throughout.

The Phantom Drophead Coupé is based on an advanced aluminium spaceframe. Lightweight and exceptionally strong, it requires over 120 metres of hand-welding.

Luggage is housed within a picnic boot, a split tail compartment that opens in two parts giving easy access to 315 litres of space. - The lower tailgate provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered.

The fabric hood is the largest of any modern convertible car and uses five layers of material to insulate the interior.

Power is supplied by a 6.75 litre naturally aspirated V12 engine giving brisk performance and a 0-60mph time of 5.7 seconds.